Les Nuits Guitares is far more than a music festival – it is a tribute to the enduring allure of one of the world’s favourite instruments.
From the outset of the festival back in the year 2000, the ambition was bold yet beautifully simple: to make the entire town of Beaulieu-sur-Mer pulse to the sound of six strings and to secure its place among the Riviera’s essential summer events. More than two decades later, that vision has clearly stood the test of time.
Set within the enchanting Jardin de l’Olivaie, where ancient olive trees meet the scent of the nearby Mediterranean, the festival has welcomed an extraordinary roll call of musicians. Over the years, the stage has hosted the gritty blues of Popa Chubby, the cosmic virtuosity of Joe Satriani, and the refined jazz explorations of Al Di Meola. Artists such as Lucky Peterson, Calvin Russell, John Butler, Larry Carlton, and Warren Haynes have all left their mark, shaping the character and legacy of this distinctive gathering.
In recent editions, the programme has broadened its horizons while staying true to its spirit. Performers including Selah Sue, Morcheeba, Thomas Dutronc, Catherine Ringer, Clara Luciani, and Philippe Katerine have brought fresh colours to the festival, proving that the guitar’s voice can resonate across genres and generations.
Yet what truly sets Nuits Guitares apart is its atmosphere. Unlike the vast, impersonal stages of many summer festivals, the Jardin de l’Olivaie offers a rare sense of proximity. Audiences sit just metres from the musicians, close enough to feel every note as it emerges from the amplifiers. That intimacy, almost impossible to find elsewhere, has become part of the festival’s identity.
There is also a distinctly Mediterranean sense of conviviality woven through the evenings. People come not only to listen, but to linger, to share, and to savour the warm Riviera nights. As the music drifts through the olive trees, guitars seem to answer the rhythm of the cicadas.
While the programme has gradually expanded to embrace pop, rock, folk, and world music, the guitar remains the beating heart of the festival – the instrument around which everything revolves. Les Nuits Guitares continues to strike a careful balance between artistic excellence and accessibility, bringing together international legends and emerging talents on a stage that remains proudly human in scale.
THE 2026 FESTIVAL LINEUP
Friday, 3rd July, 2026
- 18h45 – Magmay
- 20h00 – The Molotovs
- 21h00 – Marlon Magnee
- 22h30 – Last Train
Saturday, 4th July, 2026
Video via Sam Sauvage on YouTube
- 18h30 – Ken Pop
- 20h00 – Kid Sophie
- 21h10 – Billie
- 22h30 – Sam Sauvage
Sunday, 5th July, 2026
- 18h30 – Memphis Mao
- 20h00 – Max Baby
- 21h10 – Austern Power
- 22h30 – Skip The Use **
** Due to circumstances beyond the organisers’ control, Rival Sons will unfortunately not be performing at Nuits Guitares on Sunday, July 5, 2026. French band Skip The Use will be playing in their place. Tickets purchased for that evening remain valid for the new lineup. Those wishing to obtain a refund can request one from their point of purchase.
More than twenty years on, the festival still makes Beaulieu-sur-Mer resonate with the sound of strings and the emotion they carry, a musical signature that has become inseparable from the town itself.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Festival Les Nuits Guitares | 3 – 5 July, 2026 | Jardin de l’Olivaie, Beaulieu-sur-Mer
Doors open each night at 6 pm. Concerts start 6:30 pm. Snacks and refreshments will be available onsite.
Ticketing – tickets cost €25 for a daily pass or €60 for a three day pass (early bird price). Free admission for children under 10 . Tickets may be booked online.
Car parking is available in the surrounding streets and at the Port de Plaisance de Beaulieu-sur-Mer car park. Train station a 5 minute walk from the venue. Bus Ligne 15 – closest stop « Gare de Beaulieu »
VENUE DETAILS
Festival Les Nuits Guitares
Jardin de l’Olivaie
1-3, Rue Jean Bracco
06310 Beaulieu-sur-Mer
Tel: +33 (0)4 93 01 02 21
PHOTO CREDITS
- All images courtesy Festival Les Nuits Guitares / ChaRP Agency
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